The A/G ratio is albumin divided by globulin, the two main protein groups in your blood.
It's usually a little above 1, because albumin normally outweighs globulin.
A low ratio means globulin went up or albumin went down. A high ratio usually means globulin is low.
The ratio is a pointer. The albumin and globulin values behind it are what get interpreted.
November 11, 2026
A/G Ratio Blood Test: What a High or Low Result Means
Key Takeaways
The A/G ratio is albumin divided by globulin, the two main protein groups in your blood.
It's usually a little above 1, because albumin normally outweighs globulin.
A low ratio means globulin went up or albumin went down. A high ratio usually means globulin is low.
The ratio is a pointer. The albumin and globulin values behind it are what get interpreted.
The A/G ratio is your albumin level divided by your globulin level. A low A/G ratio means you have relatively more globulin or less albumin than expected. A high A/G ratio usually means globulin is low.
A ratio works like a seesaw. It tips when either side moves, and the number alone can't tell you which side that was. So the first step with any abnormal A/G ratio is the same: look at albumin and globulin separately.
A/G ratio results at a glance
Result
What moved
Common explanations
Low
Globulin up
Chronic inflammation, infection, autoimmune conditions, some blood cancers
Low
Albumin down
Inflammation, liver disease, kidney protein loss, poor nutrition
High
Globulin down
Low antibody levels, liver or kidney disease
High
Albumin up
Dehydration
Labs set their own range, often from about 1.1 up to around 2.5. Use the range printed on your report.
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The A/G ratio is a calculated value, not a separate measurement. MedlinePlus explains that it's usually part of a routine metabolic panel, which measures total protein and albumin. Globulin is what's left after albumin is subtracted, and the ratio is one divided by the other.
Albumin is a single protein made by the liver. It holds fluid inside blood vessels and carries hormones, medicines, and minerals. Globulin is a group of proteins that includes your antibodies.
Because it's built from two other results, the ratio inherits their quirks. It's the same idea as the anion gap, another calculated line that only means something next to its ingredients.
A result slightly outside your lab's range, with normal albumin and total protein, often has no clinical meaning.
What does a low A/G ratio mean?
A low A/G ratio means globulin is high, albumin is low, or both. The two sides have different explanations.
When globulin is high
Globulin rises when your immune system makes more antibodies. Ongoing infection, chronic inflammation, and autoimmune conditions are the usual reasons. MedlinePlus also lists certain blood cancers, such as multiple myeloma.
When albumin is low
Low albumin is often blamed on diet, but that's rarely the whole story. A 2019 review in the Journal of Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition makes the point directly.
Inflammation makes small blood vessels leakier, so albumin escapes into tissue. Liver disease lowers production, which is why ALT, AST, and bilirubin get checked alongside. Kidney damage lets albumin pass into the urine.
MedlinePlus notes one normal exception: albumin runs low during pregnancy.
What the research says about a low ratio
A low A/G ratio has been linked to worse long-term outcomes in people who felt well when tested.
"26,974 generally healthy adults were followed for a median of 5.9 years in a Korean cohort. Those with an A/G ratio below 1.1 had higher rates of cancer and death from any cause than those at 1.5 or above." - Source: Suh B et al., Annals of Oncology, 2014
Read that carefully. It's one retrospective study from a single hospital's checkup program, and the authors said the findings needed to be replicated. A low ratio is a reason to look for inflammation or a liver, kidney, or immune cause. It isn't a cancer test.
What does a high A/G ratio mean?
A high A/G ratio usually means globulin is low. MedlinePlus lists liver disease and kidney disease as causes of low globulin, and low antibody levels are another. People with frequent infections and a high ratio may need their immunoglobulins measured.
High albumin is the other route, and it nearly always means dehydration. MedlinePlus lists severe dehydration and diarrhea as the causes. In that case total protein reads high too, and a repeat test after fluids brings the numbers back.
A mildly high ratio with normal albumin and globulin is common and seldom needs follow-up.
Your lab results, explained
Talk to a board-certified clinician for clear answers and personalized guidance around your recent lab test results.
How do you read the A/G ratio with albumin and globulin?
Go back to the seesaw and check each side.
Reading the A/G ratio with its two parts
A/G ratio
Albumin
Globulin
Often points toward
Low
Normal
High
Inflammation, infection, or autoimmune activity
Low
Low
Normal
Inflammation, liver disease, or protein loss
Low
Low
High
Chronic liver disease or long-running inflammation
High
Normal
Low
Low antibody levels
High
High
Normal
Dehydration
These are starting points for a clinician. Real results often sit between rows.
We'd rather look at albumin and globulin first and treat the ratio as the summary line.
What happens after an abnormal A/G ratio?
Follow-up is driven by whichever protein moved.
Find the side that changed by reading albumin and globulin against their own ranges.
Add context from the same panel: liver enzymes, kidney markers, and C-reactive protein if inflammation is suspected.
Repeat the test when you're well hydrated if everything is only slightly off.
Ask about serum protein electrophoresis when globulin is clearly high, or a urine albumin test when albumin is low.
When to call your clinician soon
Swelling in the legs or belly, yellowing skin or eyes, foamy urine, unexplained weight loss, or repeated infections alongside an abnormal ratio deserve a prompt appointment.
How Parsley clinicians approach the A/G ratio
Parsley Health clinicians are board-certified in conventional medicine with advanced training in functional medicine. An abnormal ratio gets the standard workup first, with medication or specialist referral when it's needed.
Parsley clinicians often look at what's driving inflammation or protein loss, including gut health, liver health, and autoimmune activity, since that's where most low ratios come from.
It depends on why it's low. A slightly low ratio with normal albumin and globulin often means little. A clearly low ratio, especially with low albumin or high globulin, should be followed up to look for inflammation or a liver, kidney, or immune cause.
Can dehydration affect the A/G ratio?
Yes. Dehydration concentrates albumin and can push the ratio up. Rehydrating and repeating the test usually returns it to range.
What is a good A/G ratio?
There's no ideal number to aim for. A result inside your lab's range, with albumin and globulin also in range, is a normal finding.
Can you raise a low A/G ratio with diet?
Only if low protein intake is the cause, which is less common than people assume. Most low ratios come from inflammation or a liver, kidney, or immune condition, so finding the cause comes first.
This article is for educational purposes only and isn't a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Lab results vary from person to person. Talk with a licensed clinician about your own results and symptoms.
MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Albumin blood (serum) test. National Library of Medicine. Reviewed February 13, 2025. Accessed November 13, 2026. https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/003480.htm
Suh B, Park S, Shin DW, et al. Low albumin-to-globulin ratio associated with cancer incidence and mortality in generally healthy adults. Ann Oncol. 2014;25(11):2260-2266. doi:10.1093/annonc/mdu274
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At Parsley Health, we believe better health starts with trusted information. Our content is accurate, accessible, and compassionate—rooted in evidence-based research and reviewed by qualified medical professionals. For more details read about our editorial process.
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